Second Chance
by Hoku-lele
Summary: BACON! Now that you are reading, please continue AU. What would you do with a second chance? Would you jump at the opportunity, or throw it away without at second glance?  Bad summary  Please give at least the first chapter a chance to explain a little
1. The Stage Is Set

_Hi, I'm so glad to be writing this story. It was just something that came to mind in the….strangest of times. If you have read my ongoing story "Beyond the Mirror the Journey Begins", you will see some similarities between the two. No, that does not mean they are connected in any way, shape, or form….they just share the same characters (__whom none I own might I add__), different plot lines. I'd like to hear what you have to say so far about this one and if I should continue it. Thank you to whoever takes the time to read this. (^_^) _

Chapter 1:

What is the meaning of repentance? Do we have to pay a price? I can't remember what it was like to not have that chain attached to my collar.

_Tug. Pull. Yank. _

Guess it's time for my last and final assignment before I receive my reward. But I can't call it a reward for it's nothing that I've achieved out of good will. No, not in the least.

I walk the dark city streets, letting the wind ruffle my hair and bite at my cheeks. Nothing like this where I'm from. Wind. Chill. Dark. The moon that had always been below me, now stands as a splendor of faded light above me. The stars twinkled lightly, sharing their glory with the moon, and also keeping a watchful eye.

"One more street." I whispered as a puff of smoke ghosts its way from my lips. I don't like to walk, in all honesty. Just thinking about it makes the appendages on my back become restless and want to break free of the thick coat used to shield this weak body.

Humanity is such a strange thing. Always searching for new things; either to create or destroy. Always wanting was is unavailable. Always running on little time. I never saw why I was so intrigued. I guess that was the human in me speaking for I wanted to be what I could not. And now that I am, in a way, I want to be nothing more than back with my own kind; away from all this hate and love and pain.

But I start to wonder, why go back? To a life of white. To a life of obligations. To a life of emptiness. No, it was because humans carried many qualities and felt both physical and emotional pain that I was so interested.

"This should be the place." Standing in front of the old warehouse, I take a moment to "size up" the situation. Must have been a murder case. This person will be harder to persuade to be saved. Pushing open the rusted gate, I make my way through the unkempt path, weaving past thick underbrush and slinking in the shadows. Even with the veil of night, one can only be so careful.

Once inside, the stage set itself up. A girl, black hair, gray eyes, was murdered here. She was a tall and thin woman, with pleasant features, though more elongated and hollow. I stretch out a hand and invite her to take the stage with me.

"Kikyo."

The woman slowly faded into my line of vision, appearing right out of the shadows. Her timid nature probably suggested that she knew not if she heard wrong or if I could see her at all. I made sure to make eye contact, without seeing right through her at the wall.

"I'm here to help you." I keep my hand steady and beg with my eyes for her to step forward.

"Why can you see me?" She doesn't move, only waits.

Slowly, as not to alarm her, I shrug my coat off and unfurl my long folded appendages. _Ahh, much better. _The surprise on her face could not go unannounced for I knew exactly what she was seeing.

Black wings.

"Because I'm here to help you." I say again.

She starts to glide a little closer. "How?"

"By giving you a second chance." I crack a smile to help ease the situation. This will probably be the hardest stage yet, but I guess those are usually saved as a finale.

"Why would you possibly want to give a ghost a second chance?" She grabs at her left arm as if trying to hug herself without shying away.

"Because it's my job."

"They'll find you."

I pause. She knows. "I know." As I too grab at my right forearm. The scarring hasn't fully faded yet. Human bodies take way too long to recover for my liking.

"Looks like it won't be the first." Kikyo eyes my arm then looks back at my wings. "What are you?"

"I'm a 'who' not a 'what'. My name is Kagome, and I'm here to save you."

_So that was just a short little chapter that I'll keep up for a while. If there's not much going on with it than I'll just trash this idea and just work on the other story. Please read and review! _


	2. I'm Here

_I would like to answer this question early and say that I'm not writing this story because I'm stopping "Beyond the Mirror the Journey Begins". It's just a little side story that needs to be written. (^_^) I just hope that it doesn't get confusing between the two stories. Anyways, hope you like this story thus far and please let me know what you think. To make it less confusing, this chapter is written in 3__rd__ person. _

Chapter 2:

"Another one has been spotted." Said the white haired man to another.

"They down right piss me off. Who do they think they are to come in and destroy our way of life?" Inuyasha had always had troubles with other worldly creatures. "And take away people from us."

"I still find it weird that they take away humans like that. You'd think they'd consume them or something, but nothing ever turns up and who ever we catch hasn't a clue as to what happens to them." Miroku stated plainly. They checked the screens again for common sightings and reports. Seems that there was a sighting of a strange girl traveling the streets at night and stopped by a warehouse.

"Should I take this one?" Sesshomaru asked. Not giving a care to the world, just wishing he could get some air. Or excitement.

"No, I got this one." Inuyasha growled. After storming out of the room Miroku looked confused at Sesshomaru since Inuyasha never got so worked up over a case. He simply pointed at the warehouse address.

It clicked then. "Kikyo."

"Can you tell me more about what happened?" Kagome asked Kikyo. It was dawn and she hadn't gotten a whole lot of information about this case. She decided to call for some help and was just waiting for them to arrive.

They had taken to sit on some crates that were lying around. Well, Kagome had, Kikyo didn't really have the ability to sit on objects for she would sink through.

"It's too fuzzy. I can't remember much." Kikyo put her face in her hands, clearly frustrated. Kagome could remember another stage like this as well. It was her 54th 'performance'. The man had been so betrayed that his mind shut out the memory that was keeping him from being helped. The only thing that broke the barrier was the sight of his beloved that he left behind. Kagome could then extract part of her life force to help the man.

"I still don't understand." Kikyo broke Kagome's inner thoughts.

"Understand what?" She replied simply.

"Who are you? And why are you helping me? I'm just a ghost." Kikyo took another moment to eye Kagome's wings that were still fully exposed; dark against the rays of sun peeking through the shattered windows. Perfectly matching her jet black hair but creating a comforting and welcoming atmosphere. Simply put, beautiful.

"In human terms, I'm known as a fallen angel." Kagome paused to put everything together so it would make sense. "My job is to save those who have been denied their chance to live a full life by helping them on to the next life or giving them back their chance to walk the earth completely." She smiled sadly at that. Kikyo couldn't quite place it but she seemed enslaved behind that face.

"And how do you do that?"

Kagome held her hand out, asking for Kikyo's. Once she had a grasp of it, her hand became physical, and could touch the real world. Kikyo marveled at her hand and touched everything she could before the feeling went away.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm giving you part of who I am. Part of my soul to sustain your physical body which we could say is 'off stage' right now." Kagome stood up then. "They're here."

Kikyo didn't have time to ask as two girls came into the room. Both as flawless as Kagome and harboring wings; though one had white wings and one had gray.

"Sango. Rin." She smiled on them kindly. "Thank you for coming. I'm going to need your help." Kagome turned to present Kikyo to the two beings.

"This is her?" Sango looked curiously. Kagome just nodded.

"Well, we can't gather anything unless you tell us. She's your case, not ours." Rin stated while cautiously watching the entryway.

Kagome followed her glance and thought it'd be best to discuss somewhere else. "Kikyo, we'll be back tonight. Please wait here." Kikyo just nodded, though sad that she'd be left alone again. Kagome grasped Kikyo's hand and gave her some life before quickly fleeing.

With that, Kikyo walked down the halls until her physical hand slowly disappeared, and awaited more company.

Inuyasha felt his blood pumping; his hands itching for a good fight.

"Almost there." He really started pushing himself. But as he saw the warehouse come into sight, he slowed, suddenly recollecting those suppressed memories.

_Flashback_

_Inuyasha was still fuming over the fight he had had with Kikyo. Something silly about how moving in together was moving too fast for him. He knew he couldn't stay mad at her forever so he went sniffing around for her. Her sent had oddly been traced to a warehouse; laced with something dark and utterly empty. Picking up his pace he burst through the unhinged doors to come across a black winged figure drop a strangled figure from his grasp. Horror struck him as he rushed over, but both bodies vanished in a blink, leaving Inuyasha with nothing but rage. _

_Flashback End_

Inuyasha walked into the hellhole of his darkest memory. Everything was as it was when he first came. Dismal, dirty, desolate. All that sounded was the wind coming through the broken in windows and the steady beat of Inuyasha's shoes. Sometimes he'd get a chill, others he'd feel alone.

"Come out and show yourself!" He screamed to the inner walls, only to hear his echo. Inuyasha found that the weirdest of all was the scent in the building; clean and homey. "I guess no one's here." Inuyasha turned to take his leave, making his way to the street back to Miroku and Sesshomaru.

Kikyo watched as the man that suddenly came in, walked away. "I'm here."

_So, this is the end of the chapter. Hope it leaves you wanting more. I'll be getting a new chapter up soon on both this story and "Beyond the Mirror the Journey Begins" sometime soon. (^_^) I know that the story says 'Inuyasha and Kagome' yet it doesn't seem like it. Just give it some time and I'm hoping this story writes itself. Please leave your comments and let me know what your thoughts are. _


End file.
